By Eliza M. Hopkins, Education Major

It is the holiday season again this year, nearing the time when many of us will leave to gather with close friends and family. This time of the year, heart­warming, nostalgic and even tear­jerking commercials are played by companies to wish us a happy holiday season. However, some may say they go too far.

Edeka, a German supermarket company, is in the news recently for a commercial that people claim has “gone too far.” The controversy surrounds a commercial labeled “EDEKAWeihnachtsclip ­ #heimkommen”, which follows the story of an elderly man who repeatedly spends holidays alone with phone calls explaining that his kids’ families couldn’t make it. We see each of his children get a letter, and suddenly become sullen. The next time we see the children is with their families; they are all in black outside of the elderly man’s house, hugging and crying. When they enter, they notice a bizarre scene in front of them: the dining room table is set, candles lit, and music is playing. They gasp in shock as the elderly man comes around the corner and announces, “How else would I get you all here?”

As someone who has lost many loved ones, the message is perfectly clear to me. Be grateful for the time you have with your loved ones, put down the technology, get away from the office and enjoy each others’ company. It surprises me that many are calling this message “going too­far.” This commercial is supposed to pull at your heart, supposed to remind you that whether or not we believe it, our time is limited.

So please, listen to this message wisely. You may be upset at what this commercial is saying, may tear up, but it is reminding us that we all need to remember each other and spend time with one another. The last time we see each other – it could really be our last.

Have a safe and happy holiday!